


Stretching the Cord

by demon_dream



Series: Sword, Wand, Cup, Coin [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Dismemberment, Dragons, Everyone and their monsters is here somewhere, Fluff, In which I summon fantasy languages by sacrificing real ones, Mages, Multi, Testers and ideas, ancient ruins, fragments, mystics, oneshots, shame on me for disgracing Egyptian mythology
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-07
Updated: 2016-04-07
Packaged: 2018-05-31 21:53:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6488842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demon_dream/pseuds/demon_dream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Stretching the Cord' is an ancient Egyptian ritual in which the goddess of writing, among other things, oversees the building of the foundation for a monument, temple, etc. This is the testing grounds for my Yugioh project temporarily named 'Dragons and Wizards'. Very original, I know. But Kaiba wants to summon the Dragon God and Marik wants to be very gay in Yuugi's royal parlor, and Mokuba wants to introduce Jou to a baby dragon but the mother wants to burn him to a crisp, so... at least this resembles something organized and readable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jou: on a mountain

_Thinner than the mountain air came the call, weird and stilted. High moaning and bitter chittering cut off like a slit throat before creeping back with a long wail, or starting with the suddenness of a gunshot, machine gun chatter decaying into breathy sobs. Long and low, high and sharp, long pauses of nothing but the stillness and the stone beneath their feet.  
_If he thought too much he felt like the world had tipped, and he was clinging to the rock by his toetips dangling above an endless blue abyss, and if he fell he would fall until the thirst killed him and his body shriveled to a husk, until his flesh became so frail that the wind of his falling blew him apart and his dry bones whirled into the eternal blue nothingness until the end of time.  
_His vision swam, and he shook his head sharply, hefting the strap of his pack to feel the weight dig into his shoulder.


	2. Ryou: behind his back and in person

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somewhere in Yuugi's lovely golden palace, and a roughly hewn Mystic wagon somewhere in no man's land.

_ Ryuuji smirked, bright red bat wings unfurling lazily. "So you're the new star everyone's been talking about."  
_ Jou looked from the green-eyed man to the busty blonde at his side, and wondered why on earth Mystics were so unfairly attractive. The woman dropped him a wink, long feathered wings purple like the orchids in the gardens. "Anzu wanted to meet you too, and she has the most adorable little cherub wings, but she's busy with the King. And there's a hybrid friend of his with one creepy skeleton wing, but I haven't seen him around lately."  
_ "One wing?" He looked disturbed. Ryuuji shrugged.  
_ "He's a special case."  
:~:~:  
_ Akefia grinned down at his little half-Mage, drawing a knuckle along his fragile white cheekbone. "My Ryou, you've done very well."  
_ Something like pain and pleasure crossed those hazel eyes, glimmering greener as he leaned helplessly into the touch even though his shoulders pulled up like shields. "Lord mit'Kurerna."  
_The tanned warrior breathed in those soft words as if savoring a fine wine, red-brown eyes darkening with pleasure and greed. His grin was feral, right cheek twisted by a jagged scar. "Yes, that's me, little gem of mine. And that's what the Cave of Whispers will echo when The Tormentor gifts me with his Blessing."


	3. Seto and the Yuugis: Throne Room of the Dragon King at Sky Sanctuary

_ Kaiba dur Amarna sat back in his throne, elbows on the armrests and fingers laced contemplatively before him. Unlike Mokuba he had a more... polished transformation, but the lack of visible claws somehow managed to make him even more intimidating.  
_ He looked down from his throne, a solidified fall of molten bronze that extended to the high dome of the hall. The wide dais whose third to last step created a sort of stage was carved from blue marble veined with white, matching the wall behind the throne and lending the illusion of a sunbeam suspended in the summer sky.  
_ It was all very impressive and enough to make Yuugi's jaw drop, but luckily his other self was in control at the moment. Clad in striking black and gold with a royal blue cape cinched to his regalia, Yami's crimson eyes scanned the sky-themed room with mild interest before returning to the Dragon King, making his way down the deep green carpet to the foot of the dais. It was a very long walk.  
_ Now within earshot, Kaiba smirked. "It's been a while, mage. Have you run out of summoners to thrash?"


	4. Seto, Shaadi, Rebecca, and Roland: Battle! A Wild Assassin Approaches!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are not human, and they can see your soul. They also happen to be apex predators. Don't fuck with Lord Stormwing.
> 
> But how in Ra's name do I do the tab-key, italics and bold?!

_Blue eyes snapped wide as Kaiba whirled, draconic cracking off his tongue. "Forflí! Bierg! Eorðdraca, bierg!"  
_Shocked into motion Rebeka ducked and rolled just quick enough to avoid the feather darts spraying from the treeline, rolling to a crouch with stones clinging to her skin and granite-hard eyes. "Pæceath treówfugolas."  
_"Ástýrfe." He growled, agreeing with the sentiment. At the word Roland buckled and swelled into his massive black and white form, claws and the steely plates along his spine reflecting the moonlight. Rebeka curled and became a stocky little bundle of muscle and short, coarse fur, while Shaada half-melted into the night as his black-brown-orange patterning vanished in the gloom.  
_ He'd given them the order to kill.  
_ "Áfundenu." Came Shaada's dry whisper, and Kaiba couldn't restrain a feral grin. The shadow dragon had found the idiot assassins in record time. But then, hiding from a shadow at night was pointless.  
_ "Forthylmen." Choke them.  
_ Strangling shadows crawled through the trees and dragged the kicking, clawing forms of a Mystic and her summon. Kaiba's lip curled somewhere between a snarl and a sneer, and with a curt signal to Shaada one wing was crushed at the joint, bone crunched to powder as the prisoner bucked and screamed soundlessly against the shadows' gag.  
_"Stíelenfloga, bewere." The King grunted absently. Roland rumbled in his chest and slipped away with surprisingly quiet steps to set and check the perimeter.  
_ Kaiba glanced at Rebeka and jerked his head with a grunt of "Hlíp," and the bearlike dragon trundled over to plant herself next to her King, sharp indigo eyes locked on the two creatures bound by Shaada's shadows. The man would keep the prey restrained. Her job was to defend their Lord. Roland would make sure they did not escape. All three would cast to kill if the shadow bonds failed.  
_ Kaiba was still in human form, partly because he felt like it and partly because it was far easier to speak Common with soft human lips. There was nothing soft about his expression, though. The air crackled with the acrid scent of ozone, and his eyes glowed electric blue in the murk of the night. He stalked closer to the summon, some sort of bird demon, and looked it over. It's soul was revolted by the restraints, wrapped in a poisonous wind and pinned down with a deeply-struck stake. The stake itself had a signature, a ghost of orange peacock wings. Disgusted, he kicked the thing in the head and stomped down on the sternum, bone cracking as he put all his body weight there and crouched down for a better look at the summoner. The demon shrieked. It was utterly ignored by everyone except the Mystic, who absolutely reeked of terror. Eyes blown wide and white with fear, sweating and jittering and jerking as the shadows stole the cries for help from her throat, she bore much resemblance to a rabbit pinned by a tiger's claws. Seto's lurid eyes narrowed on her, and wrenched her name free. "Arisa mit Tuunis, you have trespassed on my territory, on the Wind God's territory, and walked into the jaws of a dragon of your own volition." His smile was cruel. "Even worse, we haven't eaten in a few hours. And bird happens to be my brother's favorite."  
_ He let her choke and stutter on her own horror for a few minutes, fear clouding in the air. The lungs of the summon were slowly collapsing beneath his foot, thin shrieks stabbing the night like nails on a chalkboard as living shadows writhed. Merciless, he brought those coldly gleaming eyes closer to the wrecked woman. "Tell me why you took the risk and I might not tear you limb from limb right now."  
_ Shadows retreated slightly, and as she gasped for breath he tipped his head just so. "I—... Lord Storm—!"  
_ He reached down and ripped the summon's arm off with a wet snapping splatter, and used the bloody end to gesture pointedly at her as the creature screamed. "The longer you talk, the longer you live. The more useful the information, the more I'll consider a quick and clean end to this."  
_ Warm blood had hit her, some on the shoulder and some on her cheek, and the woman pissed herself. Behind him, Rebeka's nose wrinkled. Gross.  
_ With blood still dribbling onto her throat from the severed arm pointed at her face, the Mystic started screaming every scrap of possibly useful info she could think of while terrified for her life. Shaada idly swirled his papery wings through the shadows, stirring them to prevent the sound from echoing down the valley. The summon was still crying beneath the King's boot, and the added wailing was just excessive.


End file.
